Julie A. Fast's Blog, page 99

Charlie Sheen and Bipolar Disorder. What is the media's responsibility?

 

  
 Where is the help for Charlie Sheen?

 

I always like to write about those in the public eye who seem to have bipolar disorder.  In this case, even I was unable to see what was going on. I'm a big fan of the Dan Patrick  Show. It's all about sports and Charlie Sheen has been a regular guest. A few weeks ago he started calling in himself and asking to be on the air.  I heard two interviews. He didn't sound manic- but he definitely sounded stressed and out of touch with the realities of drug and alcohol use- as most of  us with mania have experienced.

 Then I noticed him him on a few other shows and he looked terrible. I felt bad for him- it's not ok for the media to exploit those who are ill. I could write more on this, but I feel that [ Read More ]


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Depressing media coverage of our 'economic' situation
Julie Fast Video: Feeling intimidated by your bipolar disorder doctor?

Guest Blog: Alistair McHarg

Dancing With Your
Bipolar Bear

 One of life's great lessons is to accept, master, and ultimately enjoy that which cannot be avoided. Chances are you already know that bipolar disorder is incurable, however, there is a vast spectrum of experience in between being a victim of the illness and living a full, productive, and happy life that includes it. Over the four decades since my first manic episode I have gone from one extreme to the other.

 It is not my intention to underestimate or romanticize this rude adversary. I've done cracker factory time, engaged in all manner of reckless behavior, and rebuilt my ruined life time and time again. It's a wonder I'm here at all. That said, let me urge you to hold on tight to this one bit of advice while trudging through the foreign and forbidding landscapes – embrace your bipolar bear and take [ Read More ]


Related posts:Guest Blogger: Lizabeth Schuch
Allen, a guest blogger, talks about Bi-polar Disorder During the Holidays
Guest Blogger: Dawn and Schizoaffective Disorder

Can People with Bipolar Disorder Get Better?

Yes!

 Here is a post from Bonnie. I am always looking for positive stories.

 Hi Julie,

 I just came across your site today. I can relate to your situation. I'm 44 today. Back when I was 17 in 1983, just as I was entering senior high school, I started acting strange. I didn't want to sleep and I didn't want to eat. Eventually I was admitted to our local hospital in the mental ward. I was there 2 weeks. I cam home but was still not right. I was saying and doing things out of my character. I was becoming delusional. At the end of the year I was admitted to University Hospital in Seattle for about 2 months. It wasn't until 1986 that I finally was diagnosed with Bi-polar. Back then it was called Manic Depression. I went to a Naturepathic doctor and he put me on a bunch of vitamins and Lithium. I take 300mg twice [ Read More ]


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The Broken Zipper. We all need a good laugh!

Click here to view the embedded video.

My friends know that I am not a big fan of forwarded email unless they are really good.  This video is really good!  Over SIX MILLION people have watched in on YouTube. Wow.

My friend wrote:

Hi Julie,

This is, without a doubt, one of the funniest videos I've ever seen. It is a minister telling a story to his congregation and it is simply hilarious.  I don't know where the church is, or the denomination, but I wish I did because I would certainly like to attend one of the services where this pastor is speaking.  If he ever decides to change his profession he'd make a great comedian! Click below, turn up your speakers…..and be prepared to have a good laugh!

Klazina

**

We may have different spiritual beliefs- but we all enjoy something funny!  Julie

 

 

Related posts:We All Need to Smile
[ Read More ]


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Is it normal to be restless when you are depressed?

I just received this question. It's a good one. I think it encompasses many questions I get on this blog, so I will answer it in detail in the next few hours. Right now I'm working on my new chapter for my book Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder. It's on medications and will be added to the book in 2012. I am feeling some restless depression myself, but I have to get it done and I will!

Hi Julie-

When you feel a down swing coming on what does it feel like for you?  Yesterday when I started feeling "the great sadness" start to creep up on me, at first I could just feel my mood start to sink a little but then I found myself getting extremely fidgety.  I started going a little crazy in my head saying things like "what is going on? I need to figure out what has triggered this.  Is it this?  [ Read More ]


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Can you work when you are depressed?

Can You Work When You Are Depressed?

 (My old friend the AUTO DRAFT title is here again! Please ignore it and enjoy the blog! )

    Yes! Absolutely! Always! It's hard but I can do it!

     That is what you will normally hear me say and it's true. I can work when I'm depressed. My   problem is that I don't want to work when I'm stable.  How often are you stable? It's a new world to  me that I rarely get to visit, but I have noticed many things about this world.

   -  People like to just sit around and do things- watch TV, go to a movie, have coffee with friends, knit, mess around in the garage, fish, take a walk, relax in a bath, listen to music, go on a road trip. ETC.

    Those things are all so hard for me due to mood swings.  [ Read More ]


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Bipolar and Work, etc….. Reader Comment

Julie, can't my child see he is depressed?

 My coaching clients often ask me this kind of question:

Why can't the person I care about see that he is depressed?

Why would my daughter stay so unhappy and not do anything about it?

The answer is that depression is tricky.  It's sneaky. It tells you that what it says is real and it tells you that what you feel when you're depressed is real. I don't think that it's possible for people without depression to understand what it's like, but I do know that it helps to know that those with depression who can't see what is going on simply have an illness and this is one of the symptoms.

I've spent the past 15 years learning to separate myself from my depression. It has been constant work on my self awareness.  The depression is still here, but not today- though it could be back tonight!  If it were here right now, I would use the ideas [ Read More ]


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Buck Up Julie!
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Guest Blogger: Lizabeth Schuch

         It's been twenty-seven years since I heard the words that I still remember so clearly, "Lizabeth, you are a textbook case manic depressive" (now bipolar type I).  I was seventeen and in the throes of manic episode.  The diagnosis did not mean a whole lot to me at the time.  Psychotic features came along with it (for me those were delusions of grandeur and even some slight visual hallucinations).  It pretty much came out of the blue—well after a trigger—but what I mean is that I never had any other symptoms prior to it.  After a month-long hospitalization and when everything got back to normal, you would have almost thought that it just "went away".  I didn't really consider if it would happen again.  A few months later, I graduated from high school and went to college, took my medicine and listened to [ Read More ]


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Guest blogger: Allison Johnson

Am I in a dream? Is this a bipolar reality show?

Is this illness really REAL? I ask myself this all of the time.

I was diagnosed with ultra rapid cycling bipolar II with psychotic features in 1995. Now there is a diagnosis! I had my first hypomanic episode in 1980. So I have been living with bipolar disorder for all of my adult life. I'm 47 now. You would think that I would be used to it. I'm not. It always shocks me when I get really sick. The mood swings are just so odd. They can be so random and simply stupid-  I can get psychotic just because someone is rude to me in public? That is crazy! I have an argument with my brother and I get in my car and cry so hard I can't drive? I go out and have fun and meet someone attractive and I get OCD so badly I never call the person again?

How about the depression that comes [ Read More ]


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We All Need to Smile

Once again the title is saying "Auto Draft" ….nice…..

The real title is "We All Need to Smile" .  No matter how bad you feel, it always helps to smile…. (do the moves!  they feel good.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

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